Profile - BLS AG

Profile
A brief portrait of BLS
Well on track.
Contents
Group
4
BLS: the company
4
BLS: the public limited company
5
2012 financial review
6
2012 key figures
7
Employees8
Passenger transport
10
Railway10
Railway network
12
Busland AG
14
Lötschberg car transport
16
Navigation18
Centenary20
Freight traffic
BLS Cargo AG
Development of transport services
24
24
25
Infrastructure26
BLS Netz AG
26
Infrastructure facts
26
Railway network and ­operational management 28
Lötschberg NRLA
30
Railway production
32
Rolling stock
In regular service
Historic vehicles of the BLS Foundation
Infrastructure vehicles
34
34
36
37
History of BLS
38
Organisation40
Contacts42
2 | 3
BLS: the company
BLS is the strong, independent number two company in
the Swiss railways sector. Operating Berne’s S-Bahn, it is
responsible for the second-largest S-Bahn (urban railway)
network in Switzerland. With its lines in the Entlebuch and
in the Langenthal direction, it also plays an important part
in Lucerne’s S-Bahn system. In the Emmental BLS operates an extensive bus network, while in the Bernese Oberland it runs BLS navigation services on lakes Thun and
Brienz. And on the Lötschberg line, BLS operates the
most efficient car transport service in Switzerland. In total,
BLS provides access to an economic region in which
1.5 million inhabitants reside.
The subsidiary BLS Netz AG operates and maintains the
436 kilometre-long railway network of BLS and makes it
available to other railway companies on a non-discriminatory basis. The centrepiece of this modern railway network is the Lötschberg axis, with its 34.6 km-long Lötschberg Base Tunnel and 60 km-long mountain section which
became operational a hundred years ago, being a pioneering feat of engineering at the time.
The subsidiary BLS Cargo AG plays a pivotal role in rail
freight haulage in Alpine transit through Switzerland. Enjoying a 39 per cent share of the market, the company is
an important pillar in Switzerland’s railway operations and
contributes significantly to shifting freight traffic from road
to rail
By pursuing its strategy, BLS is seeking to strengthen customer focus within the company, raise quality and improve cost efficiency.
More than 2,800 employees from about 20 nations work
daily in the most diverse of professions to ensure that BLS
and its customers enjoy an improved travel experience.
BLS: the public limited company
8.6%
13.95%
55.75%
21.7%
Canton of Berne
Legal entities and private individuals
Swiss Confederation
Other cantons, municipalities &
communes
Founded *
24 April 2006
Share capital
CHF 79,442,336.–
Nominal share value
CHF 1.–
Market value as at 31 December 2012 CHF 0.75
Listing
BX Bern eXchange
*resulting from the merger with BLS Lötschbergbahn AG and Regionalverkehr
­Mittelland AG
BLS Netz AG
BLS Cargo AG
(founded on 1 January 2009)
(founded on 9 April 2001)
0.05 %
33.40 %
45 %
3%
52 %
50.05 %
16.50 %
Swiss Confederation
BLS AG
Canton of Berne
SBB AG
BLS AG
IMT AG
DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG
Busland AG
(founded on 19 June 2006)
14.2 %
85.8 %
Community, legal entities and private individuals
BLS AG
4 | 5Group
2012 financial review
2012 key figures
Consolidated accounts as at 31.12.2012
Passenger transport 1
Assets
in 1,000 CHF
Current assets
269,183
million passengers
Railway
53.8
Bus
3.4
Plant and equipment
4,698,252
Navigation
1.0
Total
4,967,436
Total
Liabilities
in 1,000 CHF
Short-term borrowed capital
295,970
Long-term borrowed capital
3,743,359
Equity
928,107
Total
Passenger transport 1
58.2
million passenger kilometres
Railway
904.9
Bus
13.9
Total
918.8
4,967,436
Car transport
in million transported vehicles
Kandersteg–Goppenstein/Kandersteg–Iselle (I)
Operating expenditure (in 1,000 CHF): 914,159
50,315
1.25
Cargo
Million net tonne kilometres
310,165
330,329
Infrastructure Train line kilometres
3,313
Million kilometres travelled
on own infrastructure
Passenger transport
Goods traffic
223,350
Total
11.9
1.9
13.8
Material expenditure Personnel Depreciation Other operating expenditure
Infrastructure Lötschberg axis transit freight transport
Million gross tonne kilometres
Operating revenue (in 1,000 CHF): 929,942
Million net tonnes
1698.0
12.9
171,042
356,740
Energy consumption, traction power
Million kilowatt hours
1
Bus service to complement the railway service counted under railway, not bus
402,161
Transport income 165.2
Payments Other income
6 | 7Group
Employees
The BLS Group has a workforce of over 2,800 employees – principally in the canton of Berne, but also in eight
further cantons as well as for its cargo operations in Germany and Italy. In addition, BLS trains around 100 apprentices in a wide range of trades and professions in conjunction with “login”, the training association for the public
transport sector.
Current staffing levels
BLS AG
Number
Passenger transport
285
Infrastructure (BLS Netz AG)
742
Railway production
Management services
Total
BLS Cargo AG
BLS Cargo Italia s.r.l.
BLS Cargo Deutschland
Busland AG
BLS Group
Gender structure
Men:
83,51 %
Women: 16,49 %
Nationalities: around 20
1,403
211
2,641
79
18
8
105
2,851
Number of employees excluding temporary staff and staff paid on an hourly basis; as
at 31.12.2012. There are an additional 143 staff paid on an hourly basis, sharing some
33 full-time jobs.
The motivation, experience and competence of our employees form the basis for the success of the company.
BLS offers them positive, meaningful work in the fascinating world of public transportation. They are given the opportunity to accept responsibility, apply their knowledge
and skills, thereby making an active contribution to the further development of the company, its products and services. In all of this, quality, efficiency and customer focus
stand central in all of their endeavours.
As an employer, BLS is a reliable partner for all those involved. It sets ambitious targets and puts the results centre-stage. BLS places great store on a corporate culture
that is characterised by trust, respect, openness and dialogue. This is reflected in the manner in which employees
deal and communicate with one another as well as with
customers – in keeping with the three BLS mission statement values: “Dependable. Ambitious. Engaging.”
8 | 9Group
Railway
BLS recently greatly improved its fleet of vehicles. The
­majority of its trains have been modernised: lowered floor
entrances, air-conditioning systems, video surveillance
and on-board displays, for example, are now standard on
commuter trains. Thanks to the “MUTZ” double-decker
trains put into service in 2012, BLS also has the most upto-date S-Bahn trains at its disposal which offer greater capacity and maximum comfort. All of the 28 double-decker
trains ordered will be delivered by the end of 2014.
BLS AG is the most important regional railway company
in the Swiss Mittelland. It operates Berne’s S-Bahn and is
responsible for all regional railway transport west of Lucerne. In addition to Switzerland’s second-largest S-Bahn
network, it also provides regional transport on a track network of some 700 kilometres – for example, the Regio­
Express trains from Berne to Neuchâtel, through the
­Emmental and Entlebuch to Lucerne, from Solothurn to
Thun, as well as in the Bernese Oberland with the
“Golden­Pass Panoramic” Interlaken–Spiez–Zweisimmen
RegioExpress. BLS AG also operates the RegioExpress
service between Berne and Brig via the Lötschberg mountain route with its rolling stock, the “Lötschberger” trains.
It was recently awarded the most important Swiss marketing prize, the “Marketing Trophy” for this innovative
concept.
BLS’s railway traffic continues to grow uninterrupted. In
2012, 53.8 million people used BLS trains. That corresponds to about 147,000 passengers every day.
As at the end of 2012, BLS provided its customers with
419 sales outlets: apart from 27 travel centres, 9 ticket offices operated by the company, as well as 16 third-party
sales outlets (post office, kiosks, Migrolino and Avec
shops), they also have 193 automatic ticket vending machines of their own as well as 174 ticket machines carried by railway staff. In the 27 travel centres, customers
are provided with a personal service, tickets for trips in
Switzer­land and abroad, season tickets and half-fare discount cards, regional and point-to-point travel passes,
group travel passes and tickets for events. The service is
neatly rounded off by flights and city breaks, as well as
seaside and activity holidays. Also offered in larger travel
centres are “check-in and fly” luggage transport, foreign
exchange, as well as Western Union money transfers.
Sales personnel also deal with customer issues on the
spot, for example accepting notifications of lost property
and requests for refunds or replacement of tickets.
10 | 11
Passenger transport
Railway network
Biel/Bienne
Büren an der Aare
Busswil
RE
R
Langenthal
R
Solothurn
S3
S6
S44
Lyss
S7
Utzenstorf
Wiler
Kirchberg-Alchenflüh
Zell
Huttwil
Willisau
S7 Malters S61
Burgdorf
Aarberg
RE
Neuchâtel
Ins
S52
Münchenbuchsee
S5
Gümmenen
Murten
Walkringen
Entlebuch
Bern
S51
ho B
llig er
en n
Payerne
Biglen
Bern Wankdorf
Grosshöchstetten
Gümligen
Au
ss
er
S2
Laupen BE
Worb
SBB
Köniz
S4
Langnau
Flamatt
Belp
Signau
Konolfingen
S31 S3
S6
RE
S44
Fribourg
S4
Thun
Oey-Diemtigen
Boltigen
Wimmis
Frutigen
Ramsei–Langnau S4 line section, combination of rail/bus
S-Bahn
R
Regio
RE
Kandersteg
Zweisimmen
R
RE
Goppenstein
RegioExpress
As at May 2013
Interlaken Ost
RE R
Interlaken West
Spiez
BLS AG
S
Escholzmatt
R
Erlenbach i. S.
S1
Schüpfheim
S6
Oberdiessbach
Seftigen
Thurnen
S2
Trubschachen
S1
Münsingen
Schwarzenburg
Düdingen
RE
Ramsei
Bern Brünnen
Westside
R
Avenches
Schachen Luzern
LU
S6
Grünenmatt
Schönbühl SBB
Kerzers
SumiswaldGrünen
LützelflühGoldbach
HasleRüegsau
Zollikofen
S31
S5
Wolhusen
S44
Schüpfen
Brig
RE
12 | 13
Passenger transport
Busland AG
Busland AG covers a bus route network of over 200 kilometres in the Emmental with 18 lines. 860 daily bus
Biel/Bienne
routes are operated, complementing the railway
service
Büren anbusder Aare
perfectly. Between May and October, Sunday hiking
Busswil
es bring people to well-known Emmental excursion destinations.
Bus network
Koppigen
Lyss
This subsidiary company of BLS with its headquarters in
Burgdorf has 36 buses at its disposal, 16 of which Bus­
land AG newly acquired in 2012. In Langnau i. E., it also
Aarberg
runs a service centre for
commercial vehicles and a reSchüpfen
Neuchâtel
Ins
gional test centre.
Langenthal
Wynigen
Solothurn
Utzenstorf
Kirchberg Neuhof
Kirchberg-Alchenflüh
Wiler
Fraubrunnen
Shoppingmeile
AffolternWeier
Burgdorf
Lyssach
Münchenbuchsee
LützelflühGoldbach
HasleRüegsau
Zollikofen
The bus traffic of this BLS subsidiary increased dramatically in 2012 by 9.5 per cent.Kerzers
A total of 3.7 million passengers
used Busland AG (incl. services to complement the railBern Brünnen
Gümmenen
way service).
Westside
Zell
Huttwil
Lueg
Willisau
Eriswil
Wyssachen
Wolhusen
Schachen Luzern
LU
SumiswaldGrünen
Trachselwald
Grünenmatt
Wasen i.E.
Schönbühl SBB
Thal
Ramsei
Walkringen
Entlebuch
ho B
llig er
en n
Biglen
Bern Wankdorf
Grosshöchstetten
Gümligen
Au
ss
er
Payerne
Bern
Murten
Avenches
Laupen BE
Worb
SBB
Köniz
Langnau
Flamatt
Signau
Konolfingen
Belp
Seftigen
Thurnen
Thun
Fribourg
Urban or local bus
14 | 15
Oberfrittenbach
Lüdernalp
Gohl
Passenger transport
Schüpfheim
Mettlenalp
Fankhaus
Röthenbach i.E. Trubschachen
Oberdiessbach
Münsingen
Schwarzenburg
Düdingen
Malters
Escholzmatt
Lötschberg car transport
The car transport service on the Lötschberg line provides
the fastest road link between the cantons of Berne and
Valais. BLS transports passenger cars, camper vans, bicycles and motorcycles, as well as lorries and coaches up to
a certain size through the Alps. Seasonal car transporter
trains also operate between Kandersteg and Iselle (Italy)
as an alternative means of southbound travel that avoids
stress and traffic jams. Electronic display systems inform
customers in Kandersteg and Goppenstein about departure times, prices and the current traffic situation.
The BLS car transport service moved around 1.25 million
vehicles in 2012.
Distance comparisons
Basel–Brig
via BLS Lötschberg car transport
via Furkapass
via A9 A-road
185 km
246 km
308 km
Basel–Milan
via BLS car transport Kandersteg–Iselle
via Gotthard/Ticino
via San Bernardino (tunnel) via Lausanne and Grosser St. Bernhard
302 km
354 km
419 km
526 km
Basel–Genoa
via BLS car transport Kandersteg–Iselle
492 km
BLS car transporter trains travel
·· between Kandersteg (BE) and Goppenstein (VS): during the daytime at least one every 30 minutes in both
directions – and at peak times the trains run every 15 or
even 7 1⁄2 minutes. The journey time is 15 minutes.
­Reservations are not necessary.
·· between Kandersteg and Iselle (I): from March/April
to the end of October at least once a weekend. The
journey time is one hour. Reservation recommended.
16 | 17
Passenger transport
Navigation
Excursions on scheduled boat services and charter trips
along tranquil shores with views of the magnificent Alpine panorama. This is BLS Navigation on Lakes Thun and
Brienz – one of the Bernese Oberland’s major tourist attractions. Around 70 employees at BLS Navigation operate and maintain the attractive fleet which includes the
two nostalgic paddle steamers “Blümlisalp” and “Lötschberg”.
In 2012, BLS navigation transported over one million passengers.
Our services
·· Scheduled sailings on Lake Thun: one a day, all year
round (also in winter)
·· Winter paddle steamer trip on the Blümlisalp
·· Summer timetable from Easter to the end of October
·· Scheduled sailings on Lake Brienz: daily from May
to October.
·· In July and August 2013 once an hour between 11.00
and 16.00 hours
·· Ideal public transport connections by railway, mountain
railways and bus in Thun, Interlaken and Brienz
·· Additional sailings: charter trips for family celebrations,
staff outings, business dinners, etc.
·· Spacious decks and large heated lounges on 11 motor
vessels and the two paddle steamers with capacities
ranging from 100 to 1,000 passengers
·· Special trips (concerts, events, public holiday trips, fireworks, etc.)
·· Variety of culinary delights on all boats
18 | 19
Passenger transport
Centenary
In 2013, BLS celebrates the centenary of the Lötschberg Railway
The Lötschberg Railway started operations in the summer
of 1913. It is one of Swiss railways’ important and enterprising works. The 60 kilometre-long mountain line between Frutigen and Brig has 36 tunnels and avalanche
screens, as well as 22 bridges. The main structure is the
14.6-kilometre Lötschberg Tunnel between Kandersteg
and Goppenstein. The Lötschberg Railway was the first
non-stop electric Alpine railway and was serviced by the
most powerful mass-produced locomotives built at the
time. It brought people closer together with immediate
­effect. This magnificent pioneering feat of the time has
been taking care of exchanges and communications between north and south for a hundred years.
BLS connects. Yesterday,
today and in future.
From the troublesome Säumerpfad over the Gemmi Pass
to the efficient transport connection through the Lötschberg Tunnel – that was a pioneering service which,
100 years ago, laid the foundation stone for the success
story that is the Lötschberg Railway, currently operated by
BLS. The setting up of the Kandersteg–Goppenstein car
transport system, the further development of the continuous twin track section and the construction of the Base
Tunnel have had a significant positive influence on the
economic development of the regions on both sides of
the Lötschberg. Today, the Lötschberg-Simplon axis, along
with the Gotthard, is the second important international
transit axis through the Swiss Alps and consequently an
indispensable part of the policy of moving goods traffic off
the roads and onto the railways.
With the slogan “BLS connects. Yesterday, today and in
­future”, in 2013 BLS is celebrating the centenary of the
Lötschberg Railway.
Details of the Centenary celebrations can be found at:
www.bls.ch/100
Jubi_Sujet_Profil_E.indd 1
20 | 21
03.05.2013 15
Passenger transport
Frutigen railway station, 28 June 1913: a stopover for the special train opening the new Lötschberg axis.
BLS Cargo AG
Development of transport services
(in million net tonne kilometres)
4,000
–13%
2011
2012
3,313
–19%
3,826
3,699
+13%
3,362
+32%
+3%
2,981
3,000
3,255
+15%
3,368
3,500
2,500
BLS Cargo has employed cross-border production models
and deployed locomotives and drivers across national borders since 2003. Thanks to its subsidiaries, BLS Cargo
Deutschland GmbH and BLS Cargo Italia s.r.l., as well as
its Chiasso service centre, BLS Cargo has a presence at
Switzerland’s key border localities. This allows BLS Cargo
to exert a direct influence on the services associated
with its trains and, consequently, also improve the quality
of its haulage services.
+14%
+10%
2,823
BLS Cargo is a leading rail freight company specialising in
Alpine transit through Switzerland. With a focus on the
provision of block train freight, BLS Cargo offers trains
with unaccompanied combined transport, conventional
waggonload services, as well as the “Rolling Highway”.
BLS Cargo specialises in rail freight haulage transalpine
corridor solutions. It controls traffic from departure to destination point, working with its foreign partners.
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
BLS Cargo’s market share in Switzerland’s rail-based transit operations amounts to around 39 per cent. This makes
BLS Cargo an important pillar in Switzerland’s railway operations and contributes significantly to shifting freight
traffic from road to rail.
BLS Cargo was founded in 2001. Apart from BLS AG which
enjoys a 52 % shareholding, DB Schweiz Holding Ltd and
IMT AG (Italian Ambrogio Group) have respective shareholdings of 45 and 3 per cent in BLS Cargo.
24 | 25
Freight traffic
BLS Netz AG
BLS Netz AG plans, constructs, maintains and expands
BLS’s railway infrastructure. This includes all the structures and equipment such as rail tracks, catenary wires,
safety installations, public amenities, service buildings
and maintenance vehicles. Moreover, BLS Netz AG is responsible for the operational management of the Lötschberg axis from Gümligen to Domodossola.
Infrastructure facts
Network length
Operational management
520 km
Property of BLS AG
436 km
Steepest gradient
per thousand (‰)
S-Bahn network, near Schwarzenburg
37
Transit axis: north–south (via Scheitel Tunnel)
27
Transit axis: north–south (via Base Tunnel)
13
Tunnel
Number
71
Longest tunnel
Lötschberg Base Tunnel
34.567 km
Lötschberg-Scheitel Tunnel
14.612 km
Grenchenberg Tunnel
8.578 km
Weissenstein Tunnel
3.699 km
Mittalgraben Tunnel
3.298 km
Bridges
over 2 m
Number
402
BLS Netz AG is the second-largest infrastructure operator
in the Swiss standard gauge network. It is an innovator of
technical systems and operational processes. Examples
of BLS innovations in terms of infrastructure include the
following:
·· Successful operation, intervention management and
maintenance of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel, currently
the most modern railway tunnel in the world.
·· Operation of the so-called “SIM corridor” via the Lötsch­
berg–Simplon axis which allows lorries and swap bodies of up to 4 metres in height to be transported on the
Rolling Highway or in unaccompanied combined transport (UCT).
·· System leadership in wayside train monitoring equipment such as the Heustrich-based loading gauge infringement detectors in the Kander Valley.
·· Introduction of the cost-effective MICRO safety instal­
lation for the refurbishment of hitherto non-monitored
level crossings.
·· Operation of ETCS Level 2 without additional fallback
levels with external signals.
·· Fully automatic optimisation of train movements to
­increase capacity and energy-saving.
·· Electrically monitored rockfall protection nets with
­automatic manipulation of train service.
·· Comprehensive equipping of all stops with automated
audio-visual customer information.
26 | 27Infrastructure
Railway network and
­operational management
Moutier (excl.)
Grenchen Nord
Lengnau (excl.)
Biel/Bienne
Solothurn West
Olten
Zürich
Olten
Zürich
Langenthal
Solothurn (excl.)
Huttwil
Burgdorf (excl.)
Luzern
Wolhusen (excl.)
HasleRüegsau
Neuchâtel
(excl.)
Wasen i. E.
Murten
Bern (excl.)
Gümligen (excl.)
Langnau
Fribourg
Konolfingen (excl.)
Thun
Schwarzenburg
Brünig
Luzern
Spiez
Interlaken
Ost
Frutigen
Montreux
Infrastructure, BLS Netz AG
Infrastructure, SBB and other public transport enterprises (PTEs)
Operational control, BLS Netz AG
Jungfrauregion
Zweisimmen
NRLA
base tunnel
Lenk
Brig (excl.)
Lausanne
Sierre (excl.)
28 | 29Infrastructure
Visp
Domodossola
Lötschberg NRLA
Rotterdam – Genoa corridor
Rotterdam
Emmerich
Betuwe route
Since the Lötschberg base route opened on 15 June 2007
and the timetable was introduced on 9  December of the
same year, BLS AG has held responsibility for the operation and maintenance of what is currently the world’s
most modern and technically most complex railway tunnel. In five years, over 160,000 goods and passenger
trains have passed through the tunnel which is just under
35 km long. Therefore, the average utilisation of the Base
Tunnel section is almost 80 %, and 100 % on peak days.
The tunnel is at its capacity limit as regards both passenger and freight trains.
Köln
Mannheim
Karlsruhe
Basel
The infrastructure and operating organisation have proved
their worth. Currently, the Lötschberg Base Tunnel exhibits an outstanding availability level of just under 99.9 %. In
other words: on average with 1,000 trains only one of the
Base Tunnel sections cannot be travelled on because of a
technical problem.
Bern
Erstfeld
Spiez
Lötschberg NRLA
Gotthard NRLA
Brig
Simplon
Domodossola
Luino
Bellinzona
Novara
As operator of the Lötschberg axis with the Base Tunnel
and the Scheitel section via Kandersteg–Goppenstein,
BLS plays a key role on the largest and most important
goods traffic corridors in Europe.
Monte Ceneri
Chiasso
Milano
Genova
10
14.55
12.85
15
10.45
23.11
22.63
23.70
23.28
19.68
20
17.26
25
21.56
30
24.82
27.25
Transport development along the Lötschberg axis
in million gross tonnes (transit freight trains)
5
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
30 | 31Infrastructure
Railway production
Entirely in keeping with the motto “Well on track – with
train products from a single supplier”, the Railway Production division with its 1,500 staff provides all the services
necessary to supply so-called “train products”.This ranges
from long-term planning, fleet management and key-account management as a gateway for customers, to management and maintenance, as well as the driving and
staffing of trains.
At the Berne-Aebimatt, Oberburg and Spiez sites, some
140 workshop staff ensure that the rolling stock is maintained for daily service. In addition, more than 70 staff are
engaged in the cleaning of vehicles. Thanks to the organisational proximity of management to operational maintenance and rolling stock services, BLS is able to react flexibly to changes in daily service operations that occur at
short notice
Bönigen is where BLS carries out all of the more complex
and time-intensive maintenance work on rolling stock
such as inspection, major repairs and retrofit work as a
part of its rolling stock renovation and modernisation programmes.
Approximately 630 engine drivers stationed at 15 depot
­locations drive BLS’s passenger and freight trains. Train
personnel comprising 170 staff are responsible for the
staffing of trains and providing information relating to the
ticketing structure. BLS’s own security service is responsible for ensuring safety on board trains.
32 | 33
Railway production
Locomotives and
tractive units
Re 465
Re 485
Re 420
RABe 535
Re 486
Re 425
RABe 525
RABe 515
In regular service
Designation
Weight (tonnes)
kW h power
km/h V max.
Re 465
18
84
6400
230
Re 485
20
84
5600
140
Re 486
10
85
5600
140
2
68
3000
130
Re 425
33
80
4980
140
Re 420
4
80
4700
140
10 1
211
4000
160
Re 456
(leased)
RABe 515
«MUTZ»
1
Number
as at May 2013
Designation
Number
RABe 525
Weight (tonnes)
kW h power
km/h V max.
23
79
1000
140
13
96
1000
140
13
84
1100
140
25
105
1000
160
RBDe 565
21
69
1650
125
RBDe 566 I
8
69
1475
125
RBDe 566 II
13
71
1650
125
«NINA», 3-unit
RABe 525
«NINA», 4-unit
RABe 526
«GTW» articulated
­railcar, 3-unit
RABe 535
«Lötschberger», 4-unit
34 | 35
Rolling stock
Ae 6/8
Be 4/4
Maintenance vehicle Tm 235
Historic vehicles of the BLS Foundation
Number
Commissioned
Ed 3/3 1 (GTB 3)
1
1900
Am 843 (501–504)
Ec 4/5 (SMB 11)
1
1911
Ce 4/6 (307)
1
1920
Ce 4/4 (No. 312)
1
1920
Self-propelled
maintenance
­vehicle XTmas
Be 4/4 (No. 102)
1
1932
BDe 4/6 (736)
1
1938
Ae 6/8 (205)
1
1939
Ae 4/4 (251/258)
2
1944/1955
Ae 8/8 (273/275)
2
1952/1963
Be 4/4 (761)
1
Infrastructure vehicles
Designation
1
1
Am 843
Designation
1953
Steam locomotive
Number
Weight (tonnes) kW h power
4
80
14
Tem 225 (56–57)
km/h V max.
1500
100
25–44 210
60
2
30
180
75
Tm 235 (79…89)
6
19
175
75
Tm 235 (091–094)
4
40
2 × 350
80
Tm 235 (095–097)
3
29
350
80
Tm 235 (100)
1
38
550
75
Tm 234 (380–384)
5
30
550
80
Tm 235 (201–214)
1
14
37/38
2 × 330
100
Auxiliary vehicle
Xas (502–503)
2
90
126
10
Fire-fighting and
rescue train 2
XTmas/Xans
1
282 3
6 × 315
100
Payload
Consisting of 2 rescue vehicles, 1 fire-fighting vehicle and 1 equipment vehicle
3 Overall service weight
1
2
36 | 37
Rolling stock
History of BLS
1835 Scheduled steamship services begin on Lake Thun, the
predecessor to today’s BLS Navigation services
1864 Opening of the industrial horse-drawn tramway between
Derendingen and Biberist, the predecessor to the
­Emmental railway
1872/1874 Construction and commissioning of the Bödeli railway
(Därligen–Interlaken–Bönigen), the predecessor to the
current route to Interlaken West
1875–1899 Opening: of the Emmental railway (EB) Burgdorf–Solothurn (1875); the Burgdorf–Langnau route (1881); of
the Langenthal – Huttwil (LHB) route (1889); of the Hutt­
wil–Wolhusen (HWB) route (1895); of the Burgdorf–
Thun railway (BTB) – the first fully electrified railway in
Europe (1899)
1893–1902 Opening: of the Lake Thun railway (TSB) (Thun–Därligen,
1893); of the Spiez–Erlenbach railway (SEB) (1897);
of the Spiez–Frutigen railway (SFB) and the Berne–Neuchâtel railway (BN) (1901); of the Gürbetal railway
(GTB) (1901/02); of the Erlenbach–Zweisimmen railway
(EZB) (1902)
1960 Launch of scheduled car transport services on the
Lötschberg line
1976–1992 Upgrade of the Thun–Brig transit route to twin track
throughout
1993 Establishment of the subsidiary, BLS AlpTransit AG
1994–2000 Upgrade of the transit route to a 4 m “piggyback”
­corridor
1997 Merger: of the jointly operated companies BN, GBS and
SEZ with BLS to form BLS Lötschbergbahn AG; of
EBT, SMB and VHB to form Regionalverkehr Mittelland
AG (RM)
2001 Basic agreement between BLS/SBB (long-distance railway services new task allocation: SBB, standard
gauge S-Bahn Berne: BLS); Establishment of the subsidiary, BLS Cargo AG; Establishment of RAlpin AG
and launch of the “Rolling Highway” along the Freiburg
i. Br. (Germany)–Lötschberg (Switzerland)–Novara
­(Italy) route
24.4.2006 Establishment of BLS AG; merger with RM AG:
22 June 2006; merger with BLS Lötschbergbahn AG:
1906 Founding of the Bernese Alps Railway Company Berne–
Lötschberg–Simplon (BLS)
1907 Opening of the Berne–Schwarzenburg Railway (BSB)
1908 Opening of the Solothurn–Moutier (SMB) and Ramsei–
Sumiswald–Huttwil routes (RSHB)
1913 Opening of the electrified Lötschberg railway along the
Frutigen–Kandersteg–Brig route and of the Lötschberg
Tunnel
1915 Opening: of the Grenchenberg Tunnel (BLS Moutier–
Lengnau route); of the Huttwil–Eriswil route (HEB)
(1975 transfer to a bus service)
1942 Merger: of EB and BTB to form the Emmental–Burgdorf–Thun railway (EBT); of SEB and EZB to form the
Simmental railway (SEZ)
1944 Merger: of LHB, HWB, HEB and RSHB to form the Associated Huttwil railways (VHB); of GTB and BSB to
form the Gürbetal–Berne–Schwarzenburg railway (GBS)
23 June 2006
15.6.2007 Opening of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel
9.12.2007 Commencement of full timetabled services on the
Lötschberg base route
22.4.2009 Transfer of the BLS infrastructure to BLS AlpTransit AG
and restructuring into BLS Netz AG
12.12.2010 BLS takes over the entire regional railway transport
system in the triangle between Lucerne, Langnau and
Langenthal (Lucerne West)
3.3.2011 100,000th train passes through the Lötschberg base
tunnel after three years of operation. 20.4.2012 Ground-breaking ceremony for Rosshäusern Tunnel and
extension of twin track to Rosshäusern–Mauss
19.9.2012 The new double-decker train starts scheduled service
on the S-Bahn Berne for the first time
38 | 39
History of BLS
Organisation
Board of Directors
Chairman: Rudolf Stämpfli
Board of Directors BLS AG
Rudolf Stämpfli
Dr. oec. HSG/Publisher
Chairman
Executive Board
CEO: Bernard Guillelmon
Richard Burger
Dipl. Ing. Swiss Federal Institute
of Technology
Vice-Chairman
Corporate Gouvernance
Michael Pohle
Finances
Reto Baumgartner
IT Services
Daniel Leuenberger
Human Resources
Franziska Jermann
Passenger Transport
Andreas Willich
Infrastructure
Daniel Wyder
Railway Production
Peter Fankhauser
As at 1.5.2013
Cargo (BLS Cargo AG)
Dirk Stahl
Renate Amstutz Bettschart
Lic. rer. pol.
Director, Association of Swiss
Towns
Jean-Michel: Cina
Barrister and notary public
Cantonal Minister, Valais
Executive Board
Bernard Guillelmon
Dipl. Ing. EPFL, MBA INSEAD
CEO
Dirk Stahl
Dr. rer. pol.
Vice CEO/CEO BLS Cargo AG
Reto Baumgartner
Business Economist HF,
EMBA GSBA
Head of Finance
Peter Fankhauser
Certified Real Estate Manager
VWA/DIA
Business studies graduate, KFS
Head of Railway Production
Barbara Egger-Jenzer
Solicitor
Federal Councillor, Berne
Lorenz Bösch
Ing. Agriculture FH
Max Gsell
Dr. rer. pol.
Josef Küttel
dipl. SME-HSG
Hans Werder
Dr. rer. soc., lic. iur.
Franziska Jermann
Human Resources Manager
FH/NDS
Head of Human Resources
Daniel Leuenberger
Civil engineer HTL/NDS
Head of IT Services
Andreas Willich
MSc (Oxon)
Head of Passenger Transport
Daniel Wyder
Civil engineer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology/NDS
Industrial engineering (Graduate of
University of Applied Sciences)
Head of Infrastructure
Michael Pohle
Dipl.-Ing. (TH), eMBA (HSG)
40 | 41Organisation
Head of Corporate Governance
Contacts
BLS AG
Genfergasse 11
CH-3001 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 27 27
Fax +41 (0)58 327 29 10
[email protected]
Railway Production
Bollwerk 27
CH-3001 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 30 51
Fax +41 (0)58 327 30 50
[email protected]
Passenger Transport
Berne Travel Centre
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 32 71
Fax +41 (0)58 327 32 70
[email protected]
BLS Netz AG
Genfergasse 11
CH-3001 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 27 27
Fax +41 (0)58 327 29 10
[email protected]
Customer Service
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 31 32
Fax +41 (0)58 327 23 10
www.bls.ch/kundendienst
Car Transport
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 30 22
Fax +41 (0)58 327 30 30
[email protected]
Bernese Oberland Navigation
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 48 11
Fax +41 (0)58 327 48 12
[email protected]
BLS Cargo AG
Bollwerk 27
CH-3001 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 28 44
Fax +41 (0)58 327 28 60
[email protected]
www.blscargo.ch
Busland AG
Bucherstrasse 3
CH-3400 Burgdorf
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 50 30
Fax +41 (0)58 327 50 31
[email protected]
Human Resources
Human resources marketing
Genfergasse 11
CH-3001 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)58 327 26 59
Fax +41 (0)58 327 32 80
[email protected]
www.bls.ch
www.facebook.com/bls.bahn
42 | 43Contacts
Publisher
BLS AG
Corporate Communications
May 2013
www.bls.ch